1974 Porsche 911 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2017 Porsche Panamera wagon spotted on Nurburgring

Back in February we showed you spy photos of a Porsche Panamera wagon that suggest the body style is slated for production. With the same car (or a nearly identical test mule) now running on the Nurburgring, we're ready to say the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is real. The name comes from a concept shown at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. It's not confirmed whether the Sport Turismo badge will be the official name for this model. We've seen spy photos of the standard Panamera hatchback, and both it and the wagon shares similar body panels. Expect to see the new 2017 Porsche Panamera at Paris this year with new or updated V6 and V8 engines as well as a plug-in hybrid option. The new Panamera is based off the MSB platform that Porsche is leading development on. As we reported previously, the next big Porsche could come as a coupe variant as well. Autocar also reports that the MSB platform will underpin future Bentley models, and the next Audi A8 (or A9 coupe) will probably share the same architecture. Before you bemoan the shared platform as some kind of brand dilution, remember that Porsche claims the Macan SUV shares only one-third of its parts with the Audi Q5. That is, the brands in the VW maintain a lot of differentiation despite common underpinnings. Or to put it another way: if you're going to make a knee-jerk complaint about Porsche, keep it to the standard cliches about making too many SUVs or how the Panamera isn't pretty. But to go back to the wagon seen above, at least the boxy tail lends some elegance to the Panamera's generous dimensions. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2017 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Wagon Spy Shots View 9 Photos Spy Photos Paris Motor Show Porsche Wagon Luxury porsche panamera sport turismo

Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo returns in these spy shots

Way back in 2012, Porsche got enthusiasts all hot and bothered with the Panamera Sport Turismo at the Paris Motor Show. The concept imagined a hybrid wagon with a shapely rear end. Porsche said at the time production was "possible," but these spy shots indicate the vehicle is actually under development now. Take a close look through the gallery and you'll see that this test car sports some light camouflage at the back, but it does nothing to hide the new rump. Compared to the sedan, the longer roof looks to provide extra headroom for rear passengers, along with a few extra cubes of cargo space. The rear glass sits more upright, and a spoiler visually lengthens the five-door. The wagon's front end is identical to other recent spy shots of the future Panamera. We don't have any technical details about the wagon, but it would likely share powertrains with the sedan. The cabin layout would probably also be identical, including touch-capacitive controls to replace traditional buttons. A Panamera wagon makes sense in the Porsche range. The long-roof version would offer all of the sedan's performance but have a little more room. If a customer with a family doesn't want a Cayenne, this would be the obvious alternative, and the massive 911 range shows Porsche isn't afraid to build a bevy of model variants. If you think a Panamera station wagon seems odd, just remember people thought a Porsche SUV was weird, too. And, of course, that move turned into a huge success for the company. Related Video:

Audi could enter F1 with McLaren partnership

HAMBURG — Audi's supervisory board will discuss on Wednesday ways for the company to enter Formula One, including via possible partnership with McLaren Automotive, two sources told Reuters on Tuesday, adding no decision has yet been made. The board of Volkswagen, which owns Audi, discussed the matter of getting a foot into the Formula One market at a meeting last week, said two sources who declined to be named. Audi CEO Markus Duesmann and Porsche CEO Oliver Blume were known as "ardent fans of Formula One", one source said. McLaren Automotive on Monday denied a report that Audi had bought the British luxury sportscar maker, but left the door open to technological collaboration "with relevant partners and suppliers." A spokesperson for Audi told Reuters it was "looking at various cooperation ideas" but did not confirm whether it was discussing a possible sale with McLaren. Acquiring the carmaker would put a second supercar in Audi's books alongside Lamborghini, which it has owned since 1998. German publication Automobilwoche reported on Sunday that Audi was particularly interested in the Formula 1 division. Watch episode 04 of the Autoblog Show: Motorsports Audi McLaren Porsche Volkswagen Racing Vehicles F1